When it comes to outfitting a new airplane or refurbishing an old one, technology almost invariably­ tops the list of customer concerns. And no wonder: Innovation is happening at a faster clip than ever before, and buyers now face a dazzling array of choices.

Every ingredient in this dish–duck, blueberries and Indian wild rice–comes from local sources, said Kristen Wasyliszyn, owner and chef at Atiki’s Flight Catering. Wasyliszyn lightly rubs the duck with hazelnut oil for a subtle, nutty flavor and broasts it in high heat to render the outside crisp while the inside remains tender and moist. The blueberries are reduced slowly and the chef adds drippings from the broasting pan, along with a touch of cognac.

I recently interviewed Kenn Ricci, the principal of Directional Aviation Capital, which owns Flight Options, Nextant Aerospace and Constant Aviation. When I asked him about his state of mind, he immediately replied, “I made a pact with myself in 2007 to never complain about anything ever again.”

Years ago, I flew my small airplane to visit my sister. She was shooting photos at a three-day equestrian event at a friend’s private horse farm. When it came time for me to leave, she asked the host’s son if he could drive me back to the airport. When he said, “What time’s your flight?” I paused, smiled and replied, “Whenever I get there, I guess.

Sitting in a Bombardier Learjet 45 at California’s Palm Desert Airport near Palm Springs, tennis champion Novak Djokovic outlined the approach that has kept him at the top of the game and made him a hero in his native Serbia.

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While it may be tempting to use broad generalizations about the way business aircraft are most often used in America today, let’s not neglect the importance of business aviation as a crucial competitive asset to companies, an economic driver and lifeline to communities large and small.
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